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Vote Morris: Cat running for mayor in Mexico – Metro US

Vote Morris: Cat running for mayor in Mexico

Vote Morris! Vote Morris!

A cat by the name of Morris is running for mayor in the Veracruz state capital Xalapa, in Mexico.

The feline candidate was nominated by two students disgruntled by their city’s do-nothing human lawmakers, ahead of the election day July 7.

With his face on billboards and flyers across Xalapa, the black and white cat pledges to “rid the city of rats”, a local euphemism for corrupt politicians and police. ‘Candigato Morris’ has a Twitter account and a Facebook page, which has already amassed over 100,000 likes, more than any of the four human candidates in the running.

Apart from rooting out rodents, Morris vows to “sleep, s**t, pee and eat”, qualities that make for an “ideal profile for a mayoral candidate”, according to his website.

“Candidates here almost never fulfill their promises,” said Jair Cuevas, one of the students who nominated Morris. “Our candidate promises to sleep, eat, yawn and play in the dirt and that is what he will do if he wins the election.”

Experts say that local frustrations with politicians, who already rig elections by buying votes, allow for an animal vying for public office to gain such viral appeal. “Animal candidates are playful and symbolic expressions which actually show a rejection of politicians and their forms of campaigning,” Eduardo Bueno, professor of political science at Ibero-American University, told Metro. “People are mortified to participate in such elections, so Morris the cat is their claim to political independence.”

Despite his popularity, Morris the cat will not allowed on the ballot on election day as only registered candidates can take part, according to local electoral officials.